STRATFORD'S Under-9s squad were entertained at Barkers Butts on Sunday and both teams put in a huge effort on the heavy ground to provide an exciting match, full of tries.

The Barkers squad, big and strong, were away from the whistle and scored their first try with an unopposed run within seconds.

Stratford responded to the wake up call then charged forward with strong pressure from Scott Harman and Lewis Woodfield. Tackle after tackle crunched home before Nicholas Roley was released to thread his way through to the line for a fine first score for Stratford.

Again Barkers rolled forward but this time, with Woodfield, Edward Benskins and Charlie York hunting in a pack, brought the attackers down like wolves on a wildebeest.

Stratford then made progress but hard tackling forced errors and Barkers punished the mistakes with another powerful try.

Stratford now began to get into the game with some fine running from Oliver Ashworth and tough work in the centre from Ben Beeby and Jean Claude Thom-pson.

The latter, having made a fine tackle, scooped up a loose ball from the ruck and sprinted like a hare for Stratford's second.

Relentless forward pressure from Barkers came up against strong defending from Tom Price, Harman and Ashworth but their heavy metal rolled them over the line to go in front again.

Stratford lost the slippery ball a moment later and Barkers would have been two up but for an on the line tackle from Roley which resulted in a knock-on.

Scrum half Ashworth then spotted a gap on the wing and flung the ball to Price who flicked it to Roley who was uncatchable for the whole length of the pitch to bring the score to 15-15 at half time.

In the first five minutes of the second half it was Stratford's speed and agility which looked to have the match of the home side's power.

Strong tackling in the centre by Woodfield, Benskins and Har-man forced errors from Barkers, which were punished in turn by Oliver Ashworth and Jean Claude Thompson with typical pace and style.

The lead, however, was squandered by some moments of inactivity, which allowed Barkers to power over two tries of their own to draw level.

Hector Russel-Wilkes, who had come on as sub at half time, provided Stratford with some added weight in the tackle and it was he who provided the break which allowed Scott Harman to battle over the line, only to have it matched moments later by another bulldozing effort from Barkers.

It was Ashworth who delivered what looked to be the final try of the game for Stratford, after which it looked as if the Pearcecroft youngsters had got the hang of the big Barker boys who were unable to make progress against excellent defending.

However, seconds before the final whistle, a moment's loss of concentration allowed battling Barkers to level the match at 30-30.